Westhab’s mission is to provide safe, affordable housing and supportive services as needed, to help people improve their quality of life; and to help create secure communities in under-served neighborhoods.

Mission Statement

Westhab's mission is to provide safe, affordable housing and supportive services as needed, to help people improve their quality of life; and to help create secure communities in under-served neighborhoods.

Project Abstract

Westhab's mission in all of our Youth Development programs is to minimize the potentially devastating effects of homelessness and poverty. In each of the shelters computer technology is used to enhance and reinforce the basic academic skills through our after-school programs, as well as helping to close the digital divide for these children with their non-homeless peers. Provide them with opportunities for learning computer skills, using the Internet for academic research, and word processing and printing for school projects.
Parents benefit as well while participating with their children in educational activities, looking for affordable housing, and job opportunities. Others like our young adult and single adults population receives the critically needed remediation and reinforcement of basic academic skills, word processing and job searching.

Target Population

Most Westhab residents families are single parent household headed by young women. Some of whom grew up in homeless shelters themselves. Many have never had a permanent apartment. The majority of the adults lack employable skills or significant employment history. On average, they have a 10TH- grade education, with reading and writing skills closer to 4th or 5th grade. Most of the families recieve public assistance.
Children of Westhab's families are "at-risk" for emotional and behavioral disorders, learning delays and school failure due to issues such as prenatal exposure to substance abuse, inadequette health care, poor nutrition, absence of cognitive stimulation, conflicted or impoverished parent-child relationships and repeated experience of significant trauma, such as domestic violence, homelessness and separation from caregivers. A high percentage perform significantly below grade level in reading & math, and many are placed in special education classes. As they get older they tend to fall further and further behind their school peers. Many become disengaged from school and learning and drop out of school as teens. They often cannot obtain or retain jobs, and some turn to violence and/or criminal behavior.